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OBAMA IN BERLIN: Today President Obama focuses on Angela Merkel and Germany; Friday morning other leaders from the U.K., France, Spain and Italy join before jetting out Friday lunchtime. Catch up on Obama’s final Greece speech here: http://apne.ws/2fVIdqc

DRIVING THE CONVERSATION … MARTIN SELMAYR, HERO OR ‘MONSTER’ AT THE BERLAYMONT?

You don’t want to miss POLITICO’s in-depth profile of one of the most powerful chief-of-staffs ever. (You can read it here: politi.co/2gjA3No)

“His peers in power say they cannot trust him. Subordinates say they fear him. Already, one Commission vice president and several high-level aides have quit, decrying his authoritarian control of the Commission, which he has remade unapologetically…as a top-down institution,” writes David Herszenhorn.

Fans of President Jean-Claude Juncker’s right-hand man Martin Selmayr describe him as a razor-smart lawyer, a masterly manager and an EU true believer who can quote union treaties by heart.

Critics say he is a manipulative bully who has turned the Commission into a Brussels spin-off of “House of Cards.” “There is no access to the president,” complained one official. As many as half the European Commissioners have never had bilateral meetings with Juncker.

During Juncker’s search for a wing-man, MEP Elmar Brok told Juncker that “to control the Commission, you need a brutal one – and he is one.”

Selmayr’s ruthlessness is just one reason why many people in the European institutions declined to speak about him on the record. Those who did speak say Selmayr has brought unprecedented efficiency to a Commission long known for bureaucratic dithering. “When I need a decision to be taken on any file, I talk to Martin,” said Tomáš Prouza, the Czech state secretary for European affairs. “We never waste time. He makes good decisions, and it’s always a good experience.”

Critics say he is presiding over the demise of the Europe he seeks to protect, with Brexit the most glaring failure. The Juncker Commission’s positive results are modest: The nearly derailed CETA and mobile roaming deals, for example.

“It’s only natural that once you are in power, you have enemies,” one official said. “The problem with Martin is: he has no friends. That means maybe he took it too far.”

Selmayr told POLITICO “My power is non-existent. It derives only from what the president instructs me.”

Outgoing Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva disagrees, telling POLITICO that a few months ago that, “the combination with Martin Selmayr is just poisonous.” Georgieva said her breaking point was the July appointment of Michel Barnier as the Commission’s Brexit negotiator, without consultation, at which point she turned to her colleague Frans Timmermans and said ‘I can’t take it anymore,’”

Georgieva also disagreed with repeated criticism that Juncker and Selmayr have leveled at European capitals. “We’ve been eroding the unity of the Union by finger-pointing at member states,” she said.

Selmayr said one reason Juncker doesn’t consult is that his Commissioners are a bunch of leakers: “He has made the experience that this house is very prone to leaks,” Selmayr said. “He sometimes has lunches with the vice presidents and, unfortunately, sometimes five minutes after the lunches with vice presidents very confidential personnel matters are out there in the media.”

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COMMISSION DITCHES AUSTERITY, GOES THE FULL KEYNES …

Spain and Portugal escape punitive measures for budget deficits: They will avoid any suspension of EU funds as the two countries have now proved that they are taking “effective action” to correct their budget deficits, the European Commission said today. But Interestingly, Pierre Moscovici managed to also put the Netherlands and Germany on the grill, maybe paying heed to his his socialist roots.

COMMISSION — PAPAL VISIT: Marianne Thyssen, the European commissioner for social affairs is in Rome to meet Pope Francis.

COUNCIL — SLOVAK PRESIDENCY TO PUSH FOR VISA-FREE EU ACCESS FOR UKRAINIANS: Playbook’s diplomatic source describes a new push from the Slovak EU Presidency, expected at a meeting of EU ambassadors Thursday, as “a bold move” designed to meet European Parliament demands and achieve a significant political result from next week’s EU-Ukraine summit.

“The summit equals empty talks with usual topics covered. Period.” So says Playbook’s source. To wit: Some European governments doubt Kiev is doing all it can to fight corruption. The Dutch government, meanwhile, is hamstrung by the April 2016 referendum which clearly signaled the Dutch population’s discomfort with closer ties to Ukraine. As Playbook’s diplomatic source put it: “The truth is Kiev has fulfilled all benchmarks.”

There’s one other hitch to giving Ukrainians visa-free travel: agreeing on a “suspension mechanism” covering exceptional circumstances when the deal could be suspended.

PARLIAMENT — SAME OLD, SAME OLD: Both Manfred Weber and Guy Verhofstadt were reelected as group leaders in Parliament. So far in mid-term internal elections, the only change in the ‘Conference of Presidents’ would be Rebecca Harms, who is leaving the co-chair of the Green group and is set to be replaced by another German Green Ska Keller.

PARLIAMENT — NO TURKEY VISIT: MEPs are postponing their official visit to Turkey after several journalists and Kurdish leaders were arrested.

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BREXIT — THE €65 BILLION QUESTION: From the pensions of EU civil servants to infrastructure, research and farming subsidies, the European Commission estimated the British government could have to pay between €55 billion and €65 billion to cover existing budgetary obligations before it leaves the bloc. The estimate comes from a senior Commission Brexit official following an earlier story by the Financial Times.

EU FREE MOVEMENT, IN DANGER OR NOT? The Daily Telegraph Wednesday splashed the front page with suggestions that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is giving up on the right of EU citizens to live and work in other EU countries. Playbook is still head-scratching over that one.

While some German officials suggest that access to welfare benefits for non-nationals should be tightened (not so different to what former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron asked for – and received in February,) Merkel’s remarks suggested to German employers that she adheres to the core principles.

THE PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW, WITH COMMISSION FIRST VICE PRESIDENT FRANS TIMMERMANS

Playbook spoke with Timmermans in his Commission office, which is decorated with an imposing picture over his desk, called The Wake.” (It’s the wake of a boat, not a political funeral, he clarified when asked.)

The occasion for the visit? The Commission’s annual Colloquium on Fundamental Rights starting today.

The event will feature the former editor of the now-closed Hungarian newspaper, Nepszabadsag, and Guardian editor Katherine Viner. Amid crackdowns on journalists in and around Europe, a new survey shows a spreading problem of online hate.

As many as 75 percent surveyed Europeans in a new Eurobarometer survey say they have experienced online abuse, hate speech or other threats. Around half of those people say those experiences have stopped them using one online service or another.

Timmermans is one of them. He still posts on Facebook (where he has more than 220,000 followers. But, he added, “I no longer look at the reactions” because the abuse is “so tiring.”

Goals for the event: “We just want journalists to talk to each other. I want to give a voice to people in different situations … What I really hope for is for people to establish links for afterward.”

His definition of journalism: “Facts prime everything. Establish the facts. Explain the facts. Interpret the facts. The golden rule of journalism.”

Journalism and the Rule of Law: “Rule of law cannot exist without independent journalism. And if journalism can’t maintain an economic base, what does it mean for democracy?”

Turkey: “If there is no improvement on human rights and rule of law, then the long term relationship between the EU and Turkey will be severely damaged.” Timmermans stressed the importance of being realistic: “Turkey’s not going away,” adding that “with the Turks, you always need to stick to your guns … They don’t respect you if you waver.”

Media ownership is another issue vexing Timmermans, though he doubts the EU has the legal powers needed to make any significant impact on the debate.

Poland: Timmermans says media trends in Poland are a worrying sign for elsewhere, describing to Playbook how he is cast as “a hero” on privately-owned television but described as “the devil” on state-owned channels.

As he described it, there is “no interaction between two points of view.” He added that is similar to what we see on social media: “Bash people you don’t agree with.” He says that far-right groups take the same approach to him in the Netherlands “I am the enemy you destroy.”

ICC — RUSSIA WITHDRAWS: World’s first permanent war crimes court, the International Criminal Court, “did not live up to the hopes associated with it,” the statement said.

MEDIA — BUSINESS INSIDER EXPANDS IN EUROPE: The site, headquartered in Milan and set to go live November 28, will launch in a licensing partnership with the Italian media conglomerate Gruppo Espresso. It has also launched licensed editions in Poland, France and the Netherlands as well as a fully owned and operated site in the U.K. (h/t Joe Pompeo.)

GERMANY — THE STEINMEIER PRESIDENCY AND ITS MUSICAL CHAIR EFFECT: Steinmeier, presented to the Germans as the country’s president-in-the-making on Wednesday, said Brexit, Trump and the political situation in Turkey should all act as a wake-up call for Germany.

FRANCE — MACRON RUNNING, POLLSTERS SAY LE PEN WON’T WIN: EmmanuelMacron is officially in the running. “I am a candidate for the presidency because I believe that we can succeed, that France can succeed.” But as Pierre Briançon writes, the political games have already started to backfire.

Meanwhile, François Fillon, Sarkozy’s former Prime Minister, might become the surprise of the Les Républicains primary vote this Sunday.

POLAND … NEW MILITARY FORCE CREATES WORRY: The lower house of the Polish parliament Wednesday approved the creation of a new territorial defense force aimed at deterring a possible Russian attack. But critics say it could end up serving as the armed wing of the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party.

The force would be made up of 53,000 part-time soldiers stationed throughout the country by 2019. That would constitute a third of all Polish military personnel http://bit.ly/2fUOuU2

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR: Belgian Migration Secretary Theo Francken on Wednesday said he would deport Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders if he were to come to Belgium. Francken himself is from NV-A, a right-wing nationalist party – though one closer to the political center…

Swiss to vote on a nuclear ban:Pollsters suggest 51% of Swiss voters are likely to agree on November 27 of a nuclear energy ban in the country. A quarter of voters are still undecided.

DEMONSTRATION: More than 10.000 people are expected to attend a pro-Kurdish demonstration. They will also accuse the “dictatorship” of the Turkish president Erdogan.

The biggest pro-Kurdish opposition party HDP, is organizing this rally together with Armenian and Assyrian groups. They’re gathering at 10 am at Brussels North and will continue the demonstration into the European district.

TRUMPWORLD …

Meet Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law set to receive daily presidential briefings: Andrea Mitchell reported that Trump has asked for his son-in-law and owner of the New York Observer to be permitted to sit in on his daily presidential briefings.

New business: CTF Global – formerly Crosby – have opened a Washington DC practice. The strategy and polling company is famous for electing Australian Prime Minister John Howard with hard-edge anti-refugee rhetoric and getting former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron to beat the expectations in 2015.

If you’re already looking toward the next thing, here are the names to watch: Sir Lynton Crosby, Mark Textor and Mark Fullbrook.

BRUSSELS CORNER …

INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY: In advance of the International Children’s Day on 20 November, the European Parliament will discuss how children’s voices can be heard on issues that affect their lives, as guaranteed to all children by the UN Convention on the Rights of Children. The symposium ‘With Children, for Children: From Ideas to Action’

The symposium ‘With Children, for Children: From Ideas to Action,’ organized by Eurochild and Universal Education Foundation, is on 17 November at ASP 5G305 from 11.30 to 12.30 am.

The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants has pulled together the accounts of a number of migrant children. Read it here.

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